Published: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 8:02 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 8:06 a.m.

The state senator from Greensboro, who moves from an easy primary win to what promises to be a grueling general election matchup against incumbent GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole, implored supporters of former rival Jim Neal to join her ranks.

"I want to invite them to come on board, and I certainly need their support," Hagan said.

Neal immediately obliged, vowing to do whatever he can to help a candidate he had harshly criticized for months win in November.

"Elizabeth Dole's in for the race of her life," said Neal, who finished a distant second. "This could be in the year in which Sen. Dole can be beaten, and Kay has my full support as the nominee to do that."

Hagan has said she needs about $10 million to unseat Dole — about seven times more than she has raised thus far. The $1.5 million she raised for the primary was plenty to push her past four opponents — she grabbed 60 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

The 54-year-old lawmaker was the only Democratic candidate to buy television advertising, which she used to boost her name recognition across the state.

Thad Beyle, a professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said Hagan's performance in the primary could be a positive sign for Democrats itching to unseat Dole, who has a national reputation after serving in two presidential cabinet posts and leading the American Red Cross.

"If Hagan has been able to pull this out so well, she may be able to use those skills to overcome Dole's apparent lead and make it closer," Beyle said.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Hagan had 60 percent of the vote to Neal's 18 percent.

Three other Democrats sought the right to challenge Dole. Lumberton attorney Marcus Williams picked up 13 percent of the primary vote, while Lexington truck driver Duskin Lassiter and Moncure podiatrist Howard Staley each had 5 percent.

Though she had the support of Democratic party leaders and a strong lead in fundraising, Hagan had to weather repeated attacks from Neal, who dismissed her as just another political insider.

In the campaign's only televised debate, Neal said he didn't think Hagan could beat Dole because she didn't offer enough of a contrast with the Republican incumbent. Hagan's been a state senator for nearly a decade and has served as one of the chamber's chief budget-writers for three terms.

Dole is a former Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation who ran for the White House in 2000, four years after her husband, Bob, was the Republican presidential nominee. The first-term senator easily cruised to a win in the GOP primary, defeating challenger Pete Di Lauro of Weldon with 90 percent of the vote.

"I look forward to an ongoing dialogue with folks from Manteo to Murphy and asking them for the privilege of representing them in a second term," Dole said in a statement.

<p>RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Kay Hagan celebrated her victory in Tuesday's U.S. Senate primary with an invitation.</p><p>The state senator from Greensboro, who moves from an easy primary win to what promises to be a grueling general election matchup against incumbent GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole, implored supporters of former rival Jim Neal to join her ranks.</p><p>"I want to invite them to come on board, and I certainly need their support," Hagan said.</p><p>Neal immediately obliged, vowing to do whatever he can to help a candidate he had harshly criticized for months win in November.</p><p>"Elizabeth Dole's in for the race of her life," said Neal, who finished a distant second. "This could be in the year in which Sen. Dole can be beaten, and Kay has my full support as the nominee to do that."</p><p>Hagan has said she needs about $10 million to unseat Dole  about seven times more than she has raised thus far. The $1.5 million she raised for the primary was plenty to push her past four opponents  she grabbed 60 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.</p><p>The 54-year-old lawmaker was the only Democratic candidate to buy television advertising, which she used to boost her name recognition across the state.</p><p>Thad Beyle, a professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said Hagan's performance in the primary could be a positive sign for Democrats itching to unseat Dole, who has a national reputation after serving in two presidential cabinet posts and leading the American Red Cross.</p><p>"If Hagan has been able to pull this out so well, she may be able to use those skills to overcome Dole's apparent lead and make it closer," Beyle said.</p><p>With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Hagan had 60 percent of the vote to Neal's 18 percent.</p><p>Three other Democrats sought the right to challenge Dole. Lumberton attorney Marcus Williams picked up 13 percent of the primary vote, while Lexington truck driver Duskin Lassiter and Moncure podiatrist Howard Staley each had 5 percent.</p><p>Though she had the support of Democratic party leaders and a strong lead in fundraising, Hagan had to weather repeated attacks from Neal, who dismissed her as just another political insider.</p><p>In the campaign's only televised debate, Neal said he didn't think Hagan could beat Dole because she didn't offer enough of a contrast with the Republican incumbent. Hagan's been a state senator for nearly a decade and has served as one of the chamber's chief budget-writers for three terms.</p><p>Dole is a former Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Transportation who ran for the White House in 2000, four years after her husband, Bob, was the Republican presidential nominee. The first-term senator easily cruised to a win in the GOP primary, defeating challenger Pete Di Lauro of Weldon with 90 percent of the vote.</p><p>"I look forward to an ongoing dialogue with folks from Manteo to Murphy and asking them for the privilege of representing them in a second term," Dole said in a statement.</p><p>She has already set aside about $3.2 million for her re-election bid.</p>